GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Greensboro City Council has approved a zoning amendment that adds new restrictions for detention facilities, a move that comes as community members raise concerns about the possibility of an immigration detention center in the city.
The amendment creates a new land-use category called “Secure Detention and Custodial Facility,” defined as any public or private building used to detain people who are not free to leave, whether temporarily or long-term.
Under the ordinance, such facilities cannot operate within 2,500 feet of residential zoning, schools, parks, child care centers, places of worship or hospitals. The city also prohibits them within one mile of another secure detention facility. Developers must obtain a special use permit, undergo a public hearing and receive approval before opening. The city will cap occupancy levels and require 24-hour on-site security…